1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head for use with a magnetic recording apparatus such as a video cassette recorder (VCR) and a method of manufacturing such magnetic head.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a magnetic head for use with a VCR, there is now commercially available a magnetic head, generally referred to as a "metal-in-gap (MIG) type magnetic head", having a metal magnetic layer formed on a ferrite magnetic core on its surface with a magnetic gap formed thereon and a magnetic head, generally referred to as a "laminated-type magnetic head", having a metal magnetic layer held between non-magnetic ceramic bases. In order to cope with a future demand of improving a quality of picture and of promoting the development of a digital VCR, magnetic heads have to demonstrate satisfactory electromagnetic transducing properties in higher frequency bands, and a plurality of magnetic heads have to be mounted on a small head drum.
However, the metal-in-gap (MIG) type magnetic head is large in impedance, and is therefore not suitable for use in the high frequency bands.
In the case of the laminated-type magnetic head, a thickness of a metal magnetic layer forming a magnetic path has to be reduced as a track width is reduced in order to effect a high-density recording. As a consequence, the laminated-type magnetic head is lowered in playback efficiency, and there is a limit in increasing the number of magnetic heads on the head drum.
Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 63-231713, for example, describes a magnetic head which can demonstrate satisfactory electromagnetic transducing properties in the high frequency band. This type of magnetic head will hereinafter be referred to as a "bulk thin film magnetic head" whose magnetic path formed of a metal magnetic layer is smaller than that of an ordinary VCR magnetic head and in which a thin film coil is formed on a magnetic gap forming surface by thin film process.
A structures of a bulk thin film magnetic head will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 4.
FIGS. 1 and 3 are perspective views of bulk thin film magnetic heads. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the bulk thin film head shown in FIG. 1 at its portion near a magnetic gap, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the bulk thin film head shown in FIG. 3 at its portion near a magnetic gap. In FIGS. 2 and 4, the surface of the bulk thin film magnetic head is partly removed in order to facilitate the understanding of the inside of the bulk thin film magnetic head.
A bulk thin film magnetic head, generally depicted at reference numeral 50 in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a non-magnetic base 53 and a pair of magnetic core half blocks 51, 52 composed of metal magnetic layers 54 and glasses 55. The pair of magnetic core half blocks 51, 52 are joined to the non-magnetic base 53 at their metal magnetic layers 54. In this example, the metal magnetic layer 54 is a laminated layer of three magnetic layers laminated through non-magnetic layers 54'.
The two magnetic core half blocks 51, 52 have a winding groove 56 defined therein for winding wires around the magnetic head. The winding grooves 56 has a winding of thin film coil 57 provided therein in order to effect electromagnetic transduction.
The metal magnetic layers 54 have on their joined surfaces a front gap g.sub.F formed on a sliding surface 58 along which a magnetic recording medium (not shown) slides and a back gap g.sub.B formed on the opposite side of the sliding surface 58 across the winding groove 56.
One magnetic core half block 52 is extended on the side opposite to the sliding surface 58 of the magnetic recording medium, and the extended magnetic core half block 52 has a thin film coil terminal (connection terminal) 59 formed on the extended surface of the joined surface of the magnetic core half blocks 51, 52 at its surface facing the outside. of the extended surface of the confronting surface of the magnetic core half blocks 51, 52. The thin film coil 57 is electrically connected to the outside through the connection made by a suitable means, such as wires, of the connection terminal 59.
A bulk thin film magnetic head, generally depicted at reference numeral 60 in FIGS. 3 and 4 has substantially the same configuration as the bulk thin film magnetic head 50 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 at its portion near a sliding surface 68. The bulk thin film magnetic head 60 comprises a non-magnetic base 63 and a pair of magnetic core half blocks 61, 62 and has an inclined surface 70 formed on the opposite side of the sliding surface 68 with a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the joined surface of the magnetic core half blocks 61, and 62, and have substantially the same configuration. A thin film coil terminal (connection terminal) 69 is formed on the inclined surface 70.
According to these bulk thin film magnetic heads 50, 60, winding grooves 56, 66 can be miniaturized and therefore the magnetic heads 50, 60 can be reduced in size.
In these bulk thin film magnetic heads 50, 60, the connection terminals 59, 69 for connecting the thin film coils 57, 67 to the outside are disposed on the same planes of the thin film coils 57, 67, i.e. on the planes parallel to the planes opposing magnetic gaps g.
Therefore, in the process of connecting the thin film coils 57, 67 to the outside, head bases 71 are connected to the connection terminals 59, 60 disposed on the surfaces inclined with an inclination angle corresponding to an azimuth angle in the direction perpendicular to attaching surfaces 50a, 60a, i.e. head side surfaces in which head chips (magnetic heads 50, 60) are attached to the head bases 71 or the like as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Thus, it is necessary to provide a special wiring machine having a complex mechanism for connecting the connection terminals 59, 60 to the outside while the head bases 71 are being rotated. Otherwise, a cumbersome work for connecting the connection terminals 59, 60 is required.